Death Stunned
by southern cross
Summary: Audrey would need a touch of Heaven if she was going to survive the trip to safety.  And to reach Heaven any other way than through death, she would need him.


So I can't help but watch movies and pair up fiction in my head, a clear sign that I've been ficcing too long. Anyway, this movie is one of my favorites and I just could not ignore the possibility of these two, plus Audrey deserves better than the movie ending. So feedback is appreciated. I own nothing and mean no harm.

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><p>The clouds slipped easily around his body, he was a heartbeat away from crossing over the here to the there. Heaven and earth did not occupy the same reality, one just needed to know how to cross that divide, or die, and you were there.<p>

'Please' the call was faint, his thoughts skipped over _there_. 'Please' the voice was familiar, in pain, so very much pain he was pulled back towards Earth, towards the voice.

"My God," Michael muttered the prayer as he took in the wrecked car and sharp spray of glass along the highway.

Landing silently by the black clad form his gut twisted as he took in her broken body.

"Audrey," kneeling at once he put his hands on her gently, rolling her easily until she was staring up at him. One eye was swollen almost shut the other was blood shot and he couldn't even be sure she was seeing him looking down at her.

"Audrey," his voice was barely a whisper. Healing was not in his purview, but comfort was. He could and would take some or most of the burden of what she carried.

Gathering her closer to him, skin to skin was almost best, he pressed his cheek to her bloody forehead. The pain rushed in first, she moaned, a low keening wail that tapered off as he pulled the pain inside of himself.

Massive internal bleeding, one lung collapsed, all of her ribs were broken on the left side of her body. There was more though, her left arm was broken, right ankle dislocated and untold damage to her head.

"Poor little thing," he mumbled against her skin.

Little by little she relaxed taking what he offered and opening herself to him, she had not wanted to die alone, a slow and painful death. So she had called out for help, or at least she had tried to, managing only to catch his attention with the dying screams in her heart.

Michael took the pain and rolled it up, stuffing it away, he had held more and worse. Calm now, accepting of his presence he felt the young one relax and open her heart to him. The flash came too fast at first, he didn't fight them. After a second roll through the images slowed, their thoughts connected.

_The car was accelerating, she knew this was it, Jeep was pushing hard, but there was an Angel coming. How fast would they have to go?_

There was despair when the script appeared, it surprised him. He had brought nothing but trouble and death and yet she had mourned him in that instant; she surprised him.

_The crunch of glass terrified her. There was nowhere to go, no safe place to hide. Gabriel was strong, so strong, she tried to fight him. The baby was in danger, would die without a name; so wrong. She decided, wrapped her arms tightly around him, and used everything inside to pry his arms loose. Her screams had been so urgent; she had demanded Jeep do it. Do it, do it, he did it._

The pain tried to sneak back in with the memory, but he was here now and pushed it away. Again he was humbled by the greatness one human life could amount too. Audrey had taken on an Archangel, sacrificed her own life for the child and had not hesitated.

_Please, please, please, everything had hurt, there was blood pooling where the words should have been. Charlie looked down at her, there was pity in those eyes, and helplessness, but it was the fear that overrode them all. Charlie had pulled the small bundle closer to her chest and Audrey had known Charlie was glad that it wasn't them, that it was her._

There was nothing Charlie or Jeep could have done for the girl. Michael knew that. A part of him was still disappointed that Charlie had left the girl to die. The fate of humanity lies with the child and that child was with Charlie.

"Hurts," Michael pushed aside his concerns; the girl in his arms needed all of his attention. Blood was spilling out of her mouth. She didn't have much time, if he was going to do _something_ he had to do it soon.

"Audrey," her eye had closed, "Audrey look at me." Time was slipping further away. There was one thing, a quick fix until he could get her to safety. A quick fix was a misnomer, what he was considering would change her life.

"Audrey," he insisted. Her eye blinked open, focused on him. Her smile was a bloody thing, but he welcomed it, returned it in kind. Her mouth opened, she might have been trying to speak, and there was no time for him to find out.

"You're dying," her eyebrows rose remarkably high considering, tears pooled at the corner of her blinking eye, he hadn't meant to scare her. Gently he pulled her closer into his arms. "You were brave," he murmured. She didn't look away from him or the harsh end that was coming towards her, how remarkable for one so young.

"I want to save you," he smiled, "I want to try. It'll be risky, complicated; your life won't ever be the same." He didn't know if he would wait for her consent, if she could even give it in her condition, but she surprised him again. Her felt hand rose, two fingers were clearly broken, but she fought the pain. He caught her hand; she winced, but squeezed his hand as best she could. It wasn't a yes, but it was enough.

Michael lifted her up, cupping her head, she moaned as broken bones slipped and slid in and out of place.

"I know it hurts," he pulled more out of her, tried to dampen the worst of it. Angels were not souled, but there was an essence that made them unique. A piece inside that made them divine yet individual. That essence is what allowed him into Heaven and the ability to question the decision He had made.

Audrey would need a touch of Heaven if she was going to survive the trip to safety. And to reach Heaven any other way than through death, she would need him.

"Do you trust me," the squeeze of his hand was slight but there had been no hesitation. This was it then, the next big turning point, he knew in his heart that if he did this he would be altering his own life as much as hers.

"I won't let you die," the decision was made then. The kiss stunned her. Under his lips her red stained ones were still, but he was insistent. A heartbeat later and she was responding, her lips parted, her body tightening in response. Michael tasted blood and youth and strength, his own heart responded in kind. He was losing himself in the kiss.

Unexpected desire shot through him. Inappropriate and ill-timed, he had tasted desire before, had acted on its impulses before, but nothing as strong as this.

There was no time, as her desire rushed into him so too did her pain. He deepened the kiss, taking her pain and a taste of her soul. He gave as well, his essence and strength poured into her. He felt her gasp against his tongue as they merged. Keeping hold of her, he stood, their lips never parting, they lifted with one sweep of his wings.

As one they flew, joined at heart and body and soul, he had never been so close to another in all of his very long life.

Up they went; the higher and closer they got to the line, the more he took and shared. The distinction where she ended and he began blurred, their breathing slowed, their heartbeats fell into the same rhythm. When the thought she had was his too, he Crossed over.

Heaven did not reject them, gamble had paid off. Love and power and healing filled them both. _He_ was saving her, for Michael, and he knew now that their lives were forever linked. As her blood and bones repaired themselves Michael felt his own body changing, strength and knowledge poured into him.

What was coming was so very much harder than what they had already faced. There would be more attacks on the child, attacks from unimaginable threats. Michael would need more faith and strength than he had ever called upon to get through.

Audrey would be that source of strength and faith and love. She would be to Michael what he was to the child. He felt his heart expand to envelope all that she was.

She held nothing back, even as he understood, so too was she understanding and accepting it faster than even he could process. Healing as they flew Audrey twisted in his arms deepening the kiss pushing it over a line he did not know he had.

He wanted her, images of what she wanted him to do to her, what she wanted to do to him fill his head. Michael groaned this time; she was alive and strong and ached for him. He had no idea it could be like this. Was this why man fought? Why Helen had caused so much destruction? He could understand now, as her finger, straight now, slipped over his scalp nails trailing desire across his skin; he very much understood. For her he would fight. To keep her alive and safe he would face an army. For the promise of more touches, smiles, love, he would lead the armies of Heaven against evil itself.

Accepting this vow, this connection, the rest came easily. Audrey tightened her hold on him sharing her own promises, to fight at his side, to comfort and encourage him, to share with him ever, only, the love and passion moving between them now.

As one they drifted down with Heaven's blessing. Michael could feel _His_ smile and knew that there was more of a plan forming and revealing itself as they drew closer to Earth.

They landed on a mountain side, steps away from an old hunting lodge. The caretaker had known one day important vi sitors would come. For the whole of his adult life he had traveled up to the old lodge, restocking supplies, upgrading the generators and electronics as technology advanced.

The others in his town had thought him mad. Only his family had understood, had trusted his dreams so they had built their own cabins in the hills, not quite as high or remote, but safely away from the rest civilization; it was there they had fled when the world had gone mad.

When the small-minded in their village had been overcome their will was strong and they had moved up the mountain. Outside they stood, young and old; the caretaker had tears in his eyes. The clouds had parted sunlight warmer than it should have been for the time of year had poured down. So they had gathered and they had watched as the angel had flown down with his girl in his arms.


End file.
